Member Biography

Abraham Smith 

Seal
Sessions Office Position District Party
1790-1791         Republican
1791-1792         Republican
1792-1793         Republican
1793-1794         Republican

COUNTIES: Franklin, Bedford  


Biography

1731 - 1796


Colonel Abraham Smith (Democratic-Republican) Bedford and Franklin Counties 1790-1794

Early Life:
Colonel Abraham Smith, born 1731, Hopewell Township, Chester County, (now Cumberland County) Pennsylvania, British Colonial America; son of James and Jennett Smith; married, Anne Wilson,children, Jacob Smith, James Smith; captain, French and Indian War, Bedford County Militia, 1758; colonel, command, 8th Battalion, Southern Franklin County, American Revolution, 1777; Constitutionalist, Pennsylvania General Assembly, 1783-1784; Supreme Executive Council, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, 1787-1790; elected, Republican Pennsylvania State Senate, 1790-1794; unsuccessful campaign United States House of Representatives, 1796; died, 1796; interment, Spring Hill Cemetery, Shippensburg, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. 

 Early Career:

Captain, French and Indian War, Bedford County Militia, 1758; colonel, command, 8th Battalion, Southern Franklin County, American Revolution, 1777.

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Constitutionalist, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania General Assembly, 1783-1784; the Assembly was abruptly terminated on September 28, 1784, when nineteen members bolted the hall making it impossible to achieve a quorum for the further conduct of business. One of the nineteen. 

Supreme Executive Council, Franklin County, Pennsylvania 1787-1790.

Elected, Democratic-Republican, original member, Pennsylvania State Senate, Bedford and Franklin Counties, 1790-1794. Presented the bill transferring presidential and executive council duties to the new executive; introduced the rule along with Samuel Powell, (Philadelphia City, Philadelphia and Delaware Counties), requiring the recording of each vote, by name, Senate Journal, December 14, 1790.

Unsuccessful campaign United States House of Representatives, District 10 Pennsylvania, 1796.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members S"Wilkes University Election Statistics ProjectWilkes University.

A New Nation Votes (tufts.edu)

Abraham Smith (unknown-1796) - Find a Grave Memorial